he was to him before!"

"A second marriage," said Mrs. Warrender, subdued, "can never be so
simple, so easy, as one in which there are no complications."

"They are better, if they so abide," said Mr. Longstaffe. "I agree with
St. Paul for my part. But it would be hard upon a young woman, poor thing,
that made such a failure in her first. If Theo were not so restive, if
you could get him to take things a little more easy---- Dear me, of
course I trust in his honour; no one doubts that. But he will lead her a
pretty dance; whether it will be better for her to have a good crotchety
high-tempered young fellow who adores her, or a rough young scamp who
neglected her----"

"There can be no comparison between the two."

"No," said Mr. Longstaffe ruefully, but perhaps his judgment did not
lean to Theo's side.

"And why should not they live at the Warren?" she asked. "It is not a
fine house, but it is a good house, and with the improvements Theo is
making----"

"My dear lady, to me the Warren is a delightful little place, or at
least it could be made delightful. But Markland--Markland is a very
different matter. To change the one for the other would be--well it
would be, you won't deny, something like a sacrifice. And why should
she? when Markland is all ready, wanting no alteration, an excellent
house, and in the middle of the property which she has to manage,
whereas the Warren----"

"I have lived in the Warren all my life," said Mrs. Warrender, with a
little natural indignation. It wounded her sore that he should talk of
it patronisingly as "a delightful little place." She was not in any
way devoted to the Warren; still this patronage, this unfavourable
comparison irritated her, and she began to range herself with more
warmth upon her own side. "I can see no reason why my son's wife should
not live there."

"But there are reasons why Lady Markland should not live there."

Mrs. Warrender's eyes shot forth fire. She no longer wondered that Theo
was driven to the verge of distraction. Oh that he had loved some young
creature on his own level, some girl who would have gone sweetly to his
home with him and glorified the old life! His mother had wept over and
soothed the woman of his choice only yesterday, entering into all the
difficulties that beset her path, and pledging her own assistance to
overcome them; but now she was all in arms in behalf of her boy, whose
individuality was to be crushed among them, who was to